Dr Duncan Depledge is a Senior Lecturer in Geopolitics & Security. He is also the School of Social Sciences and Humanities’ Director of Study Exchange. He has a Ph.D. from Royal Holloway, University of London, an MPhil in Geographical Research from the University of Cambridge, an MA in Political Theory from the University of Sheffield and a BA (Hons) in History from the University of Sheffield.
Duncan joined 黑料网 in 2019 as the School of Social Sciences and Humanities’ first Politics and International Studies Fellow. He was appointed Lecturer in 2020 and promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2024. His latest research focus on the implications of climate change for the changing and future character of war. He also continues to research the shifting geopolitics of the Arctic and how it impacts security and defence in the UK and Europe.
In addition to his interdisciplinary academic background, Duncan has extensive experience of working with government, parliamentarians, think tanks, international organisations and militaries. From 2010-2014, Duncan was a Research Analyst on the Climate Change & Security Programme at the Royal United Services Institute. He was the first Director of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Polar Regions in Westminster, which he helped to establish (2015-2019). He also served as Special Adviser to the House of Commons Defence Committee during its inquiry on ‘UK Defence in the Arctic’ (2017-2018). In addition to these roles, Duncan has provided advice to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the Ministry of Defence, NATO and the European Commission.
Duncan is an Associate Fellow of the , a Non-Resident Fellow of the in Washington D.C., and a Senior Research Associate to the (a University of Oxford/British Army collaboration).
Duncan is also a member of editorial board.
Duncan’s research is about . This forms part of Duncan’s broader interest in 21st Century defence and security issues.
Duncan was the recipient of an ESRC New Investigator Grant for a project titled ‘)’. The project produced a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing the UK Ministry of Defence as it attempts to navigate unprecedented changes in the global climate and energy landscape.
He is currently a Co-Investigator on another ESRC-funded projected titled ‘. This project is examining the geopolitical, social and environmental impacts of growing military demand for critical minerals.
Duncan also researches geopolitics and security in the changing Arctic.
Duncan teaches mainly on topics relating to international security, strategy and war.
Duncan is interested in supervising doctoral students in any area of geopolitics and/or foreign, security and defence policy (especially, but not limited to, 21st century challenges). If you are interested in working with him, please get in touch.
PhD Completions
- Dr Wooyun Jo, ‘The Republic of Korea and the United States: A Study in Alliance Politics’
- Dr Jordan Pilcher, ‘Fantasies, Anxieties, and Subjectivities: TRT World’s multimodal subject production of ‘Türkiye’ through coverage of geopolitics in Syria, Somalia, and Libya’
Book
- Depledge, D. (2018). (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan)
Selected Journal Articles
- Floyd, R. and Depledge, D. (forthcoming 2026). . Security Studies.
- Depledge, D., Santos, T., and Hobson, T. (2025). . Contemporary Security Policy.
- Depledge, D., and Santos, T. (2024). . European Journal of International Security.
- Depledge, D., Santos, T., Morisetti, N., and Nugee, R. (2023). . Nature Climate Change.
- Depledge, D. (2023). . International Affairs.
- Kennedy-Pipe, C. and Depledge, D. (2022). . The Geographical Journal.
- Depledge, D. (2021). . The RUSI Journal.
- Depledge, D., Dodds, K., and Kennedy-Pipe, C. (2019) , The RUSI Journal 164.